This chapter took a slightly darker turn in the first part than I was expecting. Nothing is going to happen to Lucy, I promise to all those who were concerned.

They had enjoyed a wonderful dinner together and their evening had ended up how they both knew it would. Not that either of them were complaining of course. However, unlike the night before, Ruth didn't fall asleep immediately afterwards. Her fingers were running over Harry's chest in a soft and gentle manner, and he knew she was deep in thought. And that worried him slightly.

"What is it?" he asked quietly

"I was thinking," she murmured.

"I assumed that," Harry replied, keeping an arm around her and trying not to worry. A worry that increased tenfold when he felt her start to shake with silent tears. "Oh God, what is it?" He stroked her back softly, trying to get her to calm down at the same time as he felt his heart plummet. "Did I…?"

"No," she said, trying to catch her breath. "Not you," she added in between sobs. He wasn't sure whether to believe her or not but she held him close so he stroked her back. He could do nothing but hold her and wait for her to calm down. "I'm sorry," she breathed once words became possible again. "I'm being stupid."

"You are never stupid," he said calmly and she laughed weakly.

"The other day, I was looking through case reports," she started. "During my time… away. You let a mad man with a rifle shoot you Harry."

"Are you referring to Davie King?" Harry asked.

"Yes! You just let him shoot you," she said still in disbelief. "He could have killed you Harry."

"I know," he said. "We had to do something, and I was wearing a bullet proof vest. What's brought this on anyway?"

"I was lying here completely happy, listening to your heart beating and I just felt a total fear grip me. What if you died? If your heart stopped beating? And then I remembered reading that report and I just… I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise," he said quietly, holding her close.

"And now I've ruined a perfect night with my pointless worrying," she said with a sniff. "Its stupid."

"Ruth, look at me," he said in a velvety voice. She shifted on his chest, leaning across him so she could look into his eyes. "It feels… good to know you care. Although you crying in my arms after sex wasn't something I'd envisioned, I'd be panicking if you'd been shot too." She nodded and had a small smile on her face. "I love you Ruth." She half gasped at that, seeing the emotion sparkling in his eyes. She opened her mouth to reply when she felt Harry's hand covering her lips. "No," he said quietly. "I didn't say that to get you to say the same thing. I said it for the pleasure of telling you and because its true. I only want you to tell me if its equally as true."

He felt Ruth smile under his hand and slowly dropped it. "Its not," she said quietly. "Equally true I mean. Because I love you so much more."

"Can we agree to disagree on that one?"

"Okay," she said with a smile. She kissed him briefly and then settled on his chest, her damp eyelashes flicking against his skin. He wrapped his arms around her, but refused to fall asleep until her deep even breathing filled the room.

The next day at work Ruth felt much calmer than she had the night before. It had helped her, voicing her fears, even though rationally nothing could be done about them. She glanced at Harry's office and he smiled softly at her as she picked up the phone.

"Yes?"

"Home Secretary, its Ruth Evershed," she said quickly.

"Ah yes, Ruth," he said. She thought he sounded very weary for a Monday morning but didn't say anything about it.

"I wanted to talk to you about your job offer," Ruth started.

"Yes, yes," Towers said. "I fully understand that you want to stay at Thames House and nearer to Harry. I'm not going to beg you to change your mind. I bow to the better man."

"Actually I was calling to say that I'd love to accept the position," she interrupted him. "If its still available that is?"

"Er, yes of course," Towers said and she felt a little thrill that she'd managed to catch him off guard. "May I ask what has made this decision for you?"

"You can ask," Ruth replied bluntly. "Why did you think I wouldn't take it?"

"I called Harry last night," Towers said. No you didn't, she thought to herself. She knew perfectly well exactly what Harry had been doing every minute of the previous night, none of which involved a stuffy politician. "Lucy answered. She's a very chatty little girl. She might have mentioned that Harry had taken you out to dinner. I got the impression it was personal."

She sighed before answering, choosing to add a grain of truth. "I need to keep my professional and my personal life separate," she said honestly. "I've fallen into the trap before of dating someone I work with before. I don't want to do it again." There was an extra beat of silence that made her think that her assumption that he wanted more out of her than security advice was correct.

"Well, I'll send the paperwork over today," Towers said, unable to hide the note of surprise in is voice. "We can have the transfer in by the beginning of next week, if that's okay?"

"Yes, sounds perfect," Ruth said. "I'll speak to you later." She put the phone down and smiled at Harry who she knew had been watching her throughout the conversation. She smiled and got back to the latest intelligence she was trawling through.

"I'm finished for the day," Ruth said later in his office.

"How did Towers take the news?"

"With surprise," Ruth said accurately. "I don't want this to come between us."

"It won't," Harry said instantly. "Go over to mine. I don't want to spend time away from you."

"I don't want to overstep," she admitted.

"Lucy loves you," Harry said. "And so do I. I feel guilty leaving Lucy for so long throughout the day. So really you'd be doing me a favour. But don't feel like you have to…"

"I'm going to go home," she said even though he looked immediately crestfallen. "I need to bring a few changes of clothes over to yours. I don't want to wear yesterdays clothes, or be dropped off home first thing in the morning. Then I'll go and see Lucy. Is that okay?"

"Yes," Harry said. "Very okay." He looked out of the window, but once he saw that no one was watching, he got up and planted a brief kiss on her lips. "I'll see you later."

"Wait…" she whispered. Her palm rested on his chest and she kissed him, slowly this time. "Bye," she said, her eyes twinkling as she turned and left his office. He smiled, watching her and felt his heart lift. She really did make everything a lot easier, just by being there for him.